Foreword by Deborah Madison

Bengal is home to both Hindus and Muslims who farm the fertile Ganges delta for rice and vegetables as well as fishing the region's myriad rivers. As recipes for Chicken with Poppy Seeds, Aubergine with Tamarind, Duck with Coconut Milk and the many other delights in Bengali Cooking testify, Bengal has given the world some of its most delicious dishes.

This highly original book takes the reader into kitchens in both Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal by way of the seasons and religious and other festivals that shape the region's cooking. Chitrita Banerji offers her readers authentic Bengali home-cooking – dals, fish, vegetables and kedgerees – rather than the standard fare of Indian restaurants. Hers is much more than a cookbook: it is also a vivid and deeply-felt introduction to Bengal's diverse cultures and landscapes.

'Delightful ... evokes, not just describes, the colour, the smells, the tastes, the customs of Bengali food'
Matthew Fort, The Guardian

'A loving tribute to her homeland and its kitchen'
The Times

'Absorbing ... a vivid portrayal of Bengali customs and cuisine, as much an introduction to the culture as a cookbook'
Vogue Australia